Snapshots of Different Lives
by shadowanddancer
Summary: This is a collection of one-shots, most of them pretty short and a lot of them inspired on prompts from tumblr.
1. Posthaste

**Posthaste**

_Adverb.  
_**:** with all possible speed

If there was one thing Gail despised was running. It was one of the hazards of the job, naturally, but one she strived to avoid at all costs. If a suspect ran for it, she'd do her best to catch them with minimal physical effort, which usually meant letting her partner do the chasing and circling back to cut the bastard off at the pass. Humans were not built for speed, which is why God made cars. That was her motto and she stuck to it faithfully – Gail Peck was nothing if not determined.

Even so, here she was, running across a crowded parking lot as if her life depended on it. In a way, it did. She felt like she was at the crossroads of a defining moment, or some such cliché. There was really no time to wax poetic on her motives at time like this. She'd told herself she could let it go, that it was no big deal. Just one more hurdle to get through. She'd been taught at the Elaine Peck School of Not Giving a Fuck, so her initial reaction was to fall back on the years of indoctrination. She'd get over it, and Holly…

She couldn't let it go, though. Not like this, as if it didn't matter. Because it did matter, fuck the platitudes. It was all bullshit anyway, whatever she said to make herself feel better. Gail couldn't push aside the image of teary, but resigned brown eyes that said goodbye to her this morning. It shouldn't be like this, clean cut and easily brushed off.

She refused to let it be that way.

So in typical Gail fashion, she made the impulsive decision not to let it go, damn everything else. She didn't even remember what lame excuse she made, her tunnel vision barely allowing her to acknowledge Steve's dumbfounded expression as she commandeered his car keys and sped off 15's lot like the devil was on her tail. All Gail knew was that she could not be too late.

Lights and sirens – being a cop had to be good for something, right? – allowed her to reach her destination unimpeded and she was _so_ close. It was as terrifying as it was exhilarating. It was the absolute right thing to do, Gail felt it in the very fiber of her being. She felt it on the pounding of her feet on time with her heart. She felt it in the even bend of her knees, the flex of her muscles, the sweat running down her forehead. She just had to get there on time.

Panting, Gail elbowed her way through the milling crowd, muttering apologies as her eyes frantically sought out a familiar dark head.

"Holly!" Gail shouted, uncaring of the nasty glares sent her way. Holly was all she could see, beautiful brown eyes wide in surprise behind her glasses.

"Gail? What are you doing here?" Holly asked, jumping to her feet to steady the blonde, who gripped her forearms in a near-desperate grasp.

"I had to come," Gail gasped, chest heaving in exertion. "I couldn't-"

Holly frowned. "Gail-"

"I'm not too late, am I? Please tell me I'm not too late, Hols."

Holly's eyes softened. "Oh, sweetie."

Blue eyes filled with tears. She couldn't be too late.

"Oh no, honey, you're not too late, I promise," Holly pulled Gail into a hug. "Come on, sit down now."

"I couldn't miss it, Hols," Gail lowered herself to the empty seat beside her wife's. "I couldn't miss our baby's first recital. Not because of stupid work and stupid Peckspectations."

With a tender smile, Holly brushed the sweaty bangs off Gail's forehead. "You didn't, honey. This is just the intermission. Emma's class is next."

A rush fell over the packed auditorium and the curtain opened. Gail's joy lit up her entire face. There she was, the third in a line of tots in tutus, looking like a star with her little brow furrowed in concentration. Gail gripped Holly's hand. Their baby girl.

And she was there, right in the front row, exactly where she should be.


	2. Gremlin the Pugly

**Gremlin the Pugly**

Gail had no idea how she'd gotten to this point, but she blamed Holly for it. There was no other explanation for how she went from cold bitch from hell to people dumping stupid dogs on her. A dog! And not even a badass breed like a Rottweiler or a Doberman, but one of those tiny, ugly little beasts that prissy socialites carried around in their purses or something.

_["He's a pug, Gail," Holly had explained, cheerfully ignoring the blonde's baleful glare. "It's not a 'prissy' breed at all, certainly not yappy. You're not going to lose badass points for looking after him for a couple of days until we find him a home."_

_"But why me? I'm injured! I don't like dogs!" Gail pouted – she wasn't above emotional blackmail, after all. After sustaining a bad sprain on her ankle chasing while a suspect, she'd wanted a little TLC, not a stupid dog._

_"Because you have the weekend off and I leave for the conference in Vancouver in two hours."_

_"What about-"_

_"And all your friends are cops, none of them have the time to look after him," Holly pointed out reasonably. "Look at him, honey, he's injured too," she motioned to his bandaged front paw._

_On cue, the little interloper let out a pathetic whine. Gail narrowed her eyes, not buying the woe-is-me act for a second. Those watery brown eyes were way too cunning._

_"Come on, baby, it's just for a few days," Holly cajoled. "I'll make it worth your while," she added with a seductive smirk that sent a shiver down Gail's spine._

_Damn it, she was sold._

_"Fine," Gail huffed.]_

So now she was saddled with the ugly little thing, whom she'd aptly named Gremlin, much to Holly's chagrin. If the little beast was going to be forced on her, she'd damn well name him whatever she wanted. Plus, the name was a perfect fit, especially after the disastrous attempt at a bath and his tendency to eat and destroy everything in sight.

Okay, so he only destroyed her Xbox's controller, but that shit was expensive!

"Let's lay some ground rules, shall we?" She started, picking up the destructive little pooch and holding him at eye level. "I don't like you, and I'm sure the feeling is mutual, so it's in our best interests to make this as painless as possible, right?"

Gremlin whined, attempting to lick at her nose. Making a disgusted face, Gail held him at arm's length.

"Yeah, no, that's one! No licking! No licking, no drooling, no chewing, no destroying, no parking your germ-infested little butt on my furniture and absolutely, no way, no how, are you sleeping in my bed, got it?" Gail laid down the rules, making sure to keep eye contact with small dog. You had to show who's boss with these beasts, right?

Gremlin, naturally, took to the rules like a fish took to competitive ice skating. Gail spent the entire day chasing after the little dog – or wobbling after him, rather – as it wreaked havoc in the apartment she shared with Holly, who after all of this was going to sleep on the couch forever. For a week. Maybe.

"Off the couch!"

"Give me that shoe!"

"Hey, come back here, damn it!"

Steven, the stupid jerk-face, had been no help at all. Play with him, he said. Try to bond, he said. As if! Gail Peck did not do sappy bonding crap, certainly not with an ugly mutt. All the ridiculous little thing did was make a mess and eat. She couldn't even have her Chinese in peace without Gremlin whining, begging for scraps.

All right, so she'd probably beg for scraps too if all she had to eat was that disgusting-smelling excuse for dog food Holly bought for him.

"Fine, here," Gail growled, feeding him a piece of meat from her chow mien. "Stop being so undignified. Pecks don't beg, you know? You're a Peck, at least temporarily, so show some self-respect."

Gremlin looked at her with big brown eyes, pink tongue lolling out as he panted happily.

"Yeah, I'm sure you know a lot about poise and elegance," Gail rolled her eyes. "Elaine would have a field day with you," she snorted. "That would be a meeting to remember, I'm sure. Maybe I'll bring you to the next family dinner."

At the word 'dinner', Gremlin perked up, raising himself on his forelegs to place his front paws against Gail's knees.

"Hungry little beast," Gail huffed, but fed him another piece of meat.

Somehow Gail ended up feeding Gremlin most of the meat on the take-out container, but at least she got him to stop whining. Progress, right? She even managed to walk him without triggering the Apocalypse, which lulled Gail into a false sense of security.

The next hurdle came when she tried to watch TV. After zapping through a few channels, Gail settled on something with lots of shooting and explosions. Not twenty seconds in, the whining started again.

"_What_?"

More whining. Gritting her teeth, Gail tried to focus on the movie. A nice, high-speed chase was just what the doctor ordered. For a couple of minutes, it worked. Then Gremlin decided on a new tactic and jumped on the couch.

"No!" Gail snapped, trying to push him off to no avail. The pooch was practically on her lap. "Get down, you stubborn… little…"

Whining and more whining. Gail picked him up and set him on the floor, only to have him jump right back. Rinse and repeat. This went on for nearly five minutes.

"Goddamn it, what? You don't like the movie or what?"

That got her a bark. Gail paused, shooting him an incredulous look.

"Seriously?" Gail glared.

Gremlin barked. Groaning, Gail decided to give it a try. She just wanted some peace and quiet. Grabbing the remote, she changed channels.

The X-Factor – whine.

The Kardashians – whine.

Some weird reality with women in funky dresses yelling at each other – whine.

The Animal Planet – silence.

"What?" Gail's eyebrows almost hit her hairline as she looked between the TV and the now happy and quiet pooch. "Really? You want to watch a documentary about whales?"

In lieu of an answer, Gremlin laid down next to Gail, resting his head on her thigh. Gail's eyebrow twitched and she thought about pushing him off the couch again. In the end, decided the blessed silence was worth a stupid documentary and a little, ugh, drool on her sweatpants.

"I hate you."


	3. Arms

_**Arms**_

_I hope that you see right through my walls_  
_I hope that you catch me 'cause I'm already falling_  
_I'll never let our love get so close_  
_You put your arms around me and I'm home_

One thing most people didn't know about Gail was that she was, in fact, a very tactile person. Holly first figured it out on that awful day at the hospital, when Gail had clung to her in desperation, her fear and worry about her friends eclipsing her need to appear impervious to common human needs.

When Gail threw her arms around her and, just for a second, buried her face on Holly's neck – that was when she knew. The tiny shuddery sigh against the sensitive skin of her throat let her know just how much Gail needed to be held. The realization made Holly feel a curious mix of deep sadness and joy. Sadness for what must have happened to make Gail so guarded, but joy for being allowed past those seemingly impenetrable walls. A look exchanged with Gail's brother told her not many held that honor.

It was then that Holly took it upon herself to provide all the physical contact Gail craved, but was unable and unwilling to express. A hand upon a pale wrist when they talked. An arm around tense shoulders as she shared a joke. A hug whenever she could get away with it.

She sometimes thinks Gail has figured it out. There's just this look that she gets. It's at once shy and longing, and it makes Holly want to slay all her dragons and cup soft cheeks and kiss away every hurt carved in those blue, blue eyes. It never lasts long, as Gail is always quick to replace it with a snarky grin.

"Getting clingy on me now, Lunchbox?"

"You're just so cuddly!" Holly exclaims with an adoring sigh, happy to play along. She throws in another hug for good measure, laying a playful kiss on a rosy cheek.

"Ew, Lunchbox! Get your cooties away from me!" Gail scrunches up her face, but the quick squeeze to her hips just before she's pushed away belie those words.

Holly laughs, because sometimes Gail is the most adorable thing. "Come on, grumpy cat, I'll pay you a drink to make up for my cooties." Holly grabs Gail's hand, pulling her towards the Penny.

Gail snorts. "You better, I deserve at least a double for putting up with your touchy-feely crap."

"Your sacrifice is appreciated, Officer."

The smile doesn't leave Holly's face, though, because Gail never lets go of her hand.

* * *

**A/N:** The song in this short is Arms, by Christina Perri. A great song I recommend to one and all.


	4. Judgement

**Judgement**

_noun  
_1**:** a formal utterance of an authoritative opinion  
2**:** a formal decision given by a court  
3**:** the capacity for judging or the exercise of this capacity

"I'm pleased you chose our company for your security needs, Ms. Stewart," said the lady with the sharpest pair of eyes I've ever seen. Though her hair was snowy-white, she didn't look a day over 45 and I got the feeling that she wasn't someone to be trifled with.

"You are said to be the best," Lisa declared in a lofty tone. As my manager, she was in charge of my choice of security firm, much to my chagrin.

_Bodyguards_, I give a mental sigh. Every other actress in the business had a couple of creepy fans, and I didn't really see the need to hire personal security, but Lisa insisted. My parents insisted. Even Chloe insisted, and she was one of the most optimistic people I knew, so I finally caved.

Church &amp; Best was well-known in the business and often provided security detail for people of much higher profile than me, but Lisa wouldn't let me hire anyone but the best.

"Please follow me, I'll take you through our training facilities and introduce you to the protection officer we selected for you." Ms. Church thankfully bypassed Lisa's rudeness and smoothly guided us out her office.

As she walked us through the building to a huge gym, Ms. Church explained her officers' training regimen in precise, clear terms and, frankly, it all sounded pretty insane. I was just an actress with less than six years under my belt and not nearly enough awards to warrant all of this.

I was two seconds away from being completely overwhelmed when Ms. Church called out in a soft voice, which strangely echoed through the gym like a shot. "Peck? Front and center."

Activity ceased around us and the whole room seemed to collectively hold its breath. My eyes widened when a blonde woman jogged over. Her hair was short and ruffled and my fingers twitched with the impulse of straightening out the wild strands. Laughing blue eyes swung between us and Ms. Church and my breath caught when they locked briefly with my own.

"You bellowed, Ms. C?" The woman – Peck? – asked with a cheeky grin.

Ms. Church looked entirely unimpressed with the woman's cavalier attitude, but I got the feeling there was a lot of mutual respect between them. "Peck, these are Ms. Holly Stewart and Ms. Lisa Stokes, her agent. This is Gail Peck, and I believe she's the best fit for your security detail, Ms. Stewart."

Before I could open my mouth, Lisa butted in. "What? She's smaller than me! She looks like a strong wind would blow her away!"

Ms. Church's response was as quiet as it was chilly. "I assure you, Ms. Stokes, Peck is one of our very best."

"There's no way this skinny waif can protect Holly! Why not that big guy over there?" Lisa pointed to the biggest guy in the room. He stood head and shoulders above everyone and looked like he could crush a horse with his beefy arms.

"Lisa!" I hissed under my breath. Why did she have to be so freaking judgmental? I did not want that guy anywhere near me. He looked as conspicuous as a bulldozer.

"Hey, it's fine." Gail shrugged, her easy grin never wavering. "You should be able to choose your own meat shield, right?"

I blinked at the unexpected response. She didn't look the slightest bit offended, which was a given nearly every time Lisa opened her mouth.

"But, you know, just for reference?" She went on, moving a few paces away from us. "Hey, James! Show them what you got!"

The big guy, James, let out a booming laugh and shook his head, then started running in Gail's direction, arms poised to grab and probably crush her much smaller frame.

"Oh my God!" I choked out a warning, only to nearly swallow my tongue as Gail grabbed one of his reaching arms and threw – _threw!_ – the man over her shoulder. Before any of us could recover our wits, she had him face down on the mat, arm locked in what looked to be a painful grip behind his back. A knee between the shoulder blades pretty much kept him from moving an inch without dislocating his arm.

I'm sure my chin hit the floor and I could see Lisa's thunderstruck expression from the corner of my eye. Gail's grin was positively evil and hit me straight in the gut.

"You know what they say about books and covers, right, Ms. Stewart?" Gail winked. "Underestimating me would be a mistake."

"You're hired!" I blurted out and was rewarded with a slow smile.

Holy crap.

* * *

**A/N**: If anyone here looks familiar, that was on purpose. I regret nothing.


	5. Lisa Gets Schooled

**Lisa Gets Schooled**

"Shut up," Holly said in tight, measured tones.

That stopped Lisa's tirade right on its tracks. "What?"

"Shut up!" Holly repeated, louder now. "Just who the hell do you think you are?"

Not one to back down from a challenge and fueled by all the alcohol she consumed, Lisa's recovery was quick. "I'm your friend, Holly. I'm looking out for you, something you're clearly not equipped to do yourself."

"Lisa-" Rachel started, seeing the storm brewing in their friend's eyes.

"My friend? You're my friend?" Holly snorted incredulously. "Yeah, I'm sure that's what being a friend is all about. You put down my career, my girlfriend…"

"Girlfriend?" Lisa let out a derisive laugh. "Come on now, Holly, she's just a beat cop. She's-"

"The most wonderful person I've ever met!" Holly cut off, incensed. She was on her feet now, and the anger coursing through her was unbelievable. "You don't even know anything about her! She's funny, and grumpy, and she has a sweet tooth like you wouldn't believe, and she loves kids and cares way more than she ever lets show. She puts her life on the line for all of us, every single day."

"Holly, we know," Rachel said soothingly, trying to avoid an all-out fight. "She's just drunk-"

"Oh, shut up, Rachel, it's not like you weren't thinking it too." Lisa rolled her eyes dismissively. "So she walks around in a Kevlar vest with a gun, big deal."

"She nearly died!" Holly was shouting now and a hush fell over the bar. "She nearly died, you judgmental jerk, and every time she puts on that uniform my heart breaks. Because her luck might run out and I-" a sob stemmed the flow of her words. She hadn't even realized she'd started crying. "I can't lose her."

"You won't lose me, baby," Gail's voice broke through the fog of her anger. A warm body pressed against her back and protective arms wrapped safely around her.

"She doesn't get to do this," Holly growled, fists clenched and back tense. "You don't get to do this, damn you. I don't care what you think about my job or what I do with my life, but Gail is off limits, got it? So take your bitchy comments and shove them-"

"Hey, hey, tiger, easy," Gail whispered against her ear, holding her close when Holly made to get in Lisa's face. "I've never seen you like this. I'm the volatile one in this outfit, remember?"

Holly abruptly turned around in the circle of Gail's arms, reaching out to cup pale cheeks. "You're not. You're not volatile, or a bitch, or cold, or just a beat cop. You're sweet, and gorgeous, and kind of insane and smart. You're so great at what you do and I admire you so much for doing it, even if it terrifies me."

Gail smiled, pressing a kiss to one of the hands holding her face. "You're the insane one, Lunchbox. But yours is the only opinion that really matters to me, ok? I don't give a damn what your bitchy friends think."

"How freaking sweet. Barf!"

"Lisa!"

Gail held tight to Holly's hands, not allowing her to lunge at the drunk woman. "Hey. It doesn't matter, ok? Let's just leave."

"But-"

Gail cut Holly off with a kiss, as was her typical fashion. She let it linger for a few moments before pulling away. "No talking, Lunchbox."

"I won't say another word."

"Meet me in the car?"

"But-"

"Ah-ah. Words, Lunchbox," Gail poked at Holly's ribs, a well-known and beloved ticklish spot.

"Alright, fine. Don't take too long."

"I won't."

Gail watched as Holly walked away, making sure she left the bar before turning her attention to Rachel and Lisa. Rachel was glaring balefully at her friend and they were muttering back and forth, too low for Gail to hear anything. Not that she cared, she just had a few words she needed to say.

"Thank you, Lisa."

"What?" Lisa looked gobsmacked. That had clearly been the last thing she expected to hear.

Gail smirked, arms crossed over her chest. "Without you, I probably wouldn't have realized how serious Holly is about us. How much I matter to her. Not this soon. So thanks, you've been a big help."

Dismissing the gaping woman with a flick of her eyebrow, Gail turned to Rachel, who wasn't even attempting to hide her grin. "It was nice to meet you, Rachel."

"You too, Gail. Sorry about all this."

Gail shrugged. What she told Holly was the truth – she really couldn't care less. Tossing some money on the table, she turned to leave.

Her Lunchbox was waiting for her.

* * *

**Tumblr prompt**: I've tried it but I wanna know what you get from it! Gail sees Holly get angry for the first time and Gail tries to calm her down


	6. Worst Girlfriend Ever

**Worst Girlfriend Ever**

"Stop hovering, Lunchbox. I'm fine."

"You face is still swollen, Gail."

"It'll go down, now sit. Don't want to smother me now, do you?"

A glare. "Not funny."

"It was a little."

"Not really."

A pause.

"I'm really sorry, Gail."

"I've heard you the first fifteen times. It's fine, Holly."

"No, it isn't! You could have died!"

"Alright, fine, you're a terrible girlfriend who tried to kill me with tomatoes. A ridiculous way to die. I do own a gun, you know?"

"Gail!"

"But you're forgiven, because you didn't let me die and snuck me donuts past Nurse Ratched."

Huff. "You're impossible."

"You love me anyway."

"God help me, I do."

Pause.

"How about some coffee then?"

* * *

**Tumblr prompt**: Holly forgets Gail is allergic to tomatoes. Gail has reaction, Holly freaks, Gail has to convince her she's not a terrible person.


	7. Don't Ever Smile

**Don't Ever Smile**

"Okay, so we have some ground rules if you want to work around here. Pay attention, I'm not going to repeat myself: one, don't smile at the customers-"

"Don't… smile?" Holly blinked.

"Two, don't interrupt me." Gail shot her a glare. Holly nodded quickly, clamping her lips together. "Yes, don't smile. Ever. The minute you seem the slightest bit nice you become an easy mark and it's not going to be pretty. We're dealing with the worst sort of animal here: drunken college boys. You take orders, you serve drinks, you clean tables. You don't ever, _ever_ smile. Got me?"

"Got you."

"Three, don't bring your boyfriends to the bar."

"I don't have a boyfriend."

"And I don't care a lick. Just keep your drama out the door. The minute I start hearing violins, you're out."

"No violins, got it."

"I don't give a rat's ass if you're a struggling artist, a runaway orphan or a poor, poor attention-starved country girl in search of true love. This is not Coyote Ugly. You come in, you do your job and you don't screw up."

"Fair enough. I can do that."

Gail snorted, eyeing the brunette up and down. "That remains to be seen."

It all went well enough until near the end of Holly's shift, when a pushy customer took her nice demeanor as an invitation.

"So, when do you get off tonight?" The drunken young man leered at her. "I could help you there."

"Late," Holly answered firmly, turning to walk off when he grabbed her wrist.

"Oh, come on, no need to play hard to get."

"I'm not playing at anything, please let me go," she asked as politely as she could, trying to pull her wrist away, but his grip was tight. The bar was nearly empty and she didn't see Gail anywhere.

He laughed at her attempt, pulling her close. His breath smelled strongly of cheap beer and Holly's stomach churned. "I could show you a good time, gorgeous. You won't regret it."

"I'm not interested, let me go!" Holly struggled to break his hold, all pretense at calm politeness gone. She just wanted to get as far from him as she could.

"Give me your number and I will," he bargained, leaning towards her face.

"I'll give you a number, jackass: 9-1-1, which is what I'll be calling if you don't let her go right now."

Gail's voice behind them surprised him enough to slacken his grip and Holly didn't waste the opportunity to free herself. He lunged at her to try to recover his prize, but Gail was faster and cut him off with a kick at the knees. Being already pretty drunk didn't help his coordination any and he went sprawling to the floor.

"Ow, bitch! I'll get you for this."

"I'd like to see you try," Gail snorted, watching as he struggled to get back to his feet. "Get out before I call the police, loverboy. My brother is a cop and I'm sure he'd love to meet you."

That apparently gave the drunken man pause. He glared at Gail, then at Holly, who had been pulled behind the blonde. "Fine, whatever. Fucking dykes."

Holly tensed, but Gail didn't bat an eyelash. "Yes, because I'm sure it's every heterosexual woman's dream to be sexually harassed by drunken morons."

"Fuck you."

"In your dreams, bozo!" Gail called after him, not taking her eyes off the jackass until he was out of the bar.

Holly let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you for that."

Gail turned towards her, eyes shining with concern. She eyed the wrist Holly cradled to her chest. "Are you hurt?"

"Just a little bruise, I think. I'll be fine."

"You sure?"

"Yes," Holly said earnestly. "Thank you."

"No problem. Couldn't let you be assaulted in my uncle's bar, could I? Bad for business."

There was a pause as they collected their thoughts.

"You smiled, didn't you?"

* * *

**Tumblr prompt**: AU where cynical Gail is set to train Holly on her first day at a new job.


	8. May I Take Your Coat?

**May I Take Your Coat?**

Not for the first time, Gail cursed her mother's name in her head. It wasn't enough that she'd been forced to attending the hoity-toity wedding of one of Elaine's co-workers, but her mother also saw fit to saddle her with the plus one from hell. The guy had more hands than a freaking octopus and Gail had the feeling a punch to the kisser was the only way he would take a hint.

Why her mother insisted on playing matchmaker was beyond her. Naturally, Elaine Peck chose only the cream of the crop for her only daughter, which generally meant snobbish, arrogant assholes with more money than sense. No matter how many times she hinted and outright pointed out her utter lack of interest, Elaine remained firmly in denial.

Her latest attempt hadn't actually been completely awful on the first date, and Gail had made the mistake of expressing that, which resulted in her current predicament. Apparently, second date meant green light for unsolicited groping. In a freaking church, too!

The wedding reception hadn't come soon enough and Gail was quick to dodge her handsy date. She ducked into the coat check room, hiding behind a coat rack.

"May I take your coat?"

Gail nearly jumped out of her skin at the unexpected voice. In her haste to escape her date, she hadn't realized there was someone else in the room, but of course there was. Someone had to check the coats.

"Sorry, are you ok?" Coat check girl asked, tilting her head curiously.

"Yeah, fine, just…" Gail waved vaguely, not knowing what to say without sounding like a chump.

"Bad date?" The other girl guessed, offering a sympathetic smile.

Gail released a frustrated breath, rolling her eyes up to glare at the ceiling. "To put it mildly."

"You could stay here if you want."

Gail narrowed her eyes as she studied the other girl intently and attempted to classify the unknown quantity. She noted the kind eyes behind black-rimmed glasses and the book clutched in her hands. She was attractive and well dressed in a nice button down. In all, she looked like the sort of wholesome, nice person that usually set Gail's teeth on edge, but she wasn't getting that sort of vibe from the brunette at all. Just the opposite, in fact, Gail felt there was something special about this girl.

"Sure, I guess," Gail decided. Even if her instincts here wrong, the alternative was braving the party and risking running into her oh-so-wonderful date.

"May I take your coat then?"

Gail nodded, unbuttoning her coat and shrugging it off in a smooth motion.

"That would be two dollars."

Gail raised an eyebrow. "Seriously?"

The other girl shrugged and held out her hand. "This _is_ my job, you know?"

Grudgingly, Gail fished the money from her purse before handing it out to the grinning girl.

"Tip?"

"Don't push it."

"I am harboring a fugitive as well, after all," the girl chirped, cocking her head beseechingly.

It was a ridiculously attractive mood and Gail couldn't help staring for a moment. She found herself giving in without further protest and forking over a fiver.

"Thanks! I'm Holly, by the way."

The blinding smile flashed her way left Gail a little lightheaded. Her stomach fluttered and every nerve jumped under her skin. "Gail," she answered after a long moment.

"Nice meeting you, Runaway Gail," Holly offered her hand, which Gail readily shook.

Holly's hand was warm and soft and Gail wanted nothing more than to keep holding it. Shaking off the absurd feeling, she answered with a confident smirk. "Same here, Holly the Coach Check Girl."

Holly let out a giggle. "That's a mouthful."

Gail shrugged, trying not to fixate on that smiling mouth. "So, do you have any booze around here?"

"'Fraid not. No drinking on the job for me." Holly gave her an apologetic smile.

"Ugh," Gail groaned. After the night she had, she really needed a drink or five. Plus, it might provide a distraction from the entirely too attractive coach check girl.

"That bad?"

"The guy has octopus hands and selective hearing," Gail summed up, face pulled into an annoyed from. She wasn't sure she'd ever forgive her mother for this latest fiasco.

Holly winced. "Yeah, I had a few dates like that, but it turned out I didn't like men."

A spark of interest ignited in blue eyes. "Well, I don't like men either."

"I mean I'm a lesbian."

"Oh," Gail paused, not quite believing her luck. Then a slow smile spread across her face. Her night had just gotten a lot more interesting. "Me too."

* * *

**Tumblr prompt**: AU where Gail is dating some guy, they go to a party, she meets Holly and is completely infatuated with her (I'm sorta taking this from past experience) I hope your story will have a better ending!


	9. Once Upon a Time

**Once Upon a Time  
or Super Ma to The Rescue**

Holly smiled as she quietly walked into the room and caught her wife locked in a fierce battle against a tiny three year old. Gail laid sprawled face down on the soft carpet, the fierce little warrior sitting across her shoulders, pulling on her ears as if she were a bucking bronco. David was still wearing his trick-or-treat costume, so, if anything, it was an apt description.

"Alright, alright, you got me now, cowboy!" Gail exclaimed dramatically, going limp in surrender. "I am done for, never again to reign supreme!"

"No done, Ma!" David protested, pulling on her ears some more. Gail laughed freely, twisting around to catch him in a big hug.

"And I suppose my smart little cowboy wants a prize for his victory?"

"Story!"

Holly chuckled along with Gail. But of course he wanted a story. "Excellent idea, big boy. Ma's stories are the best, aren't they?"

"Mommy help!" David waved his little arms at her, smiling big with his baby blues wide open.

"Yes, Mommy, come help!" Gail agreed, pulling Holly down to sit with them on the carpet, knowing her wife could never refuse a request from her two favorite people.

"Okay, then, guess I'm helping with story time today," Holly said, sitting cross-legged across her family. "What story will we be having today?"

"Scary!" David decided firmly.

"Ooh, a scary story, huh?" Gail stroked her jaw thoughtfully. "I guess I can do that. Go sit with mommy then, cowboy, and I'm gonna tell you the scariest story _ever_."

David squealed excitedly, immediately throwing himself at Holly with childish enthusiasm. Holly laughed, adjusting the rambunctious boy in the bowl of her legs.

"Let's see then," Gail began, hands waving animatedly as she told her story. "Once upon a time, there was a beautiful lady called Princess Doctor Mommy…"

"Love the name," Holly commented with a smirk.

"Shush, no interrupting the creative process," Gail admonished, throwing a playful wink at their little boy. "So _Princess Doctor Mommy_," she said emphatically, "lived in a big castle in a far away land and she was very nice to everyone, but she was also very sad."

"Why Mommy sad?" David inquired, patting Holly's cheek as if to catch any tears.

"Mommy was sad because she was lonely, as the dark and mean King kept our Princess locked in the castle's lab doing very important stuff he didn't know how to do. She also didn't have a little cowboy Davie to keep her company."

"Nooo," David pouted, snuggling closer to Holly, who placed a reassuring kiss atop his head.

"Oh yes, it's very sad," Gail nodded gravely. "But one day, Princess Doctor Mommy decided she'd go off to find herself a little Davie, because every mommy needs one of those, yes?"

"Yeeeeah!" David squealed, bouncing around in Holly's lap.

"So our Princess mounted her trusty steed Rodney and went off in search of her Davie. She traveled far and wide, looking for a little Davie to call her own, but it was very difficult. There aren't that many Davies lying around, you know?"

"None as perfect as Mommy's Davie," Holly smiled, nuzzling David's soft hair.

"Mommy find Davie?"

"Oh, I hope so!" Gail said with wink. "So in the search for her Davie, our Princess and Rodney the horse became hopelessly lost in a big… maze!"

"Corn?" David questioned with a grin.

"Yes!" Gail nodded. "Exactly like the corn maze uncle Steve and Leo made for you to play in today, but much bigger!" She opened her arms wide to demonstrate how big the maze was.

"Ooh, Mommy trapped in a plastic maze with Rodney, this is starting to sound like a scary story," Holly commented with a wry chuckle.

"So Princess Doctor Mommy and Rodney the horse are trapped in the maze," Gail goes on, shooting Holly a pointed look. "They walk and walk and walk, and they can't find the exit. Who could rescue our damsel in distress?"

"Ma!" David exclaims.

"_Super_ Ma!" Gail points at him. "Just like regular Ma, only much more super."

"Yay!"

"So Super Ma is a big, strong superhero and she hears our Princess cry in distress. She flies to the rescue like Superman, only with better clothes, and she brings a map!"

"Because Super Ma does not ask for directions," Holly comments in a singsong voice.

"Superheroes don't ask for directions," Gail pokes her tongue out at her, earning a giggle from their little boy. "So where was I?"

"About to rescue me with a map."

"Right! So Super Ma finds our lost Princess in the maze and, along with her trusty map, they are on their way out the maze. But!" At this point Gail is on her knees, gesticulating along with the story. "Just when they think they are about to exit the maze, our intrepid heroes start hearing a growling sound, _grrrrr_!"

"Bear!"

"Is it a bear? Or maybe a tiger? Or perhaps a big dinosaur that wants to make a snack out of our heroes!" Gail says in a deep voice, crawling over to nuzzle David's belly while making chomping sounds. That sent him into a fit of giggles and Holly was hard-pressed not to burst into laughter at her silly wife.

"Ma stooooop! Tickles!" David said amid his delighted laughter.

Gail chuckled, letting up on her attack. "Where was I?"

"We were about to get eaten by a bear, or a tiger, or a dinosaur," Holly pointed out helpfully.

"Oh my," Gail snorted. "So then, hearing the scary growling sound, Super Ma decided to investigate! Of course, being the smart lady she was, Princess Doctor Mommy decided to come along, as she knew a lot of things Super Ma didn't. Rodney the horse stayed behind, though, because he was too much of a wuss."

"Poor Rodney." Holly shook her head.

"And then just around the corner, what do our heroes find?"

"What?" David wiggled on Holly's lap and scooted closer.

"A Davie!" Gail clapped cheerfully. Holly and David cheered along. "Right there in the maze was a tiny little Davie, just like our Princess always wanted, and the scary growly sound was his tummy because it was past his snack time."

"No Cheerios?"

"Nope, there were no Cheerios in that maze, so Davie was mightily hungry. Luckily, Princess Mommy Doctor knew just where to find a bowl of Cheerios, so she asked Super Ma to take them to Cheerio Mountain, which had as much Cheerios as any little Davie could want. So they decided to live there together, eating Cheerios happily ever after!"

Holly laughed and David clapped in joy. "Cheerios!"

"Did you like the story, champ?" Gail grinned, ruffling his hair.

"Yes!"

"Was it scary?"

"No!"

Holly burst into laughter as Gail pouted. "Guess I'm not as good a storyteller as I thought."

"More stories, Ma!"

"No way, kiddo, now it's time for little boys to go to bed. You can have Cheerios in the morning, since apparently it's all little Davies need." Holly picked him up and carried him off over her shoulder to the bathroom for his nightly routine.

Amid mild protests, little Davie was put to bed and soon was off to the land of dreams.

"Shall we head to bed, Super Ma?"

"Princesses first."

* * *

**Tumblr prompt**: Lost in a corn maze.


	10. At Ease Before You Sprain Something

**At Ease Before You Sprain Something**

"At ease, Lieutenant." Janeway said softly. Holly relaxed out of the stance, but the tension in her shoulders was still visible to the Captain's keen eyes. "Would you mind explaining to me what happened in Engineering today?"

"There was an… altercation between Ensign Collins and myself, Captain." Holly said formally, not making eye contact.

"I see." Janeway steepled her fingers, nodding at her to continue.

"Gail, I mean, Ensign Peck and I were working on a few alterations to the EPS relay, to improve its efficiency." Holly looked down at her feet, fist clenched defensively. "She had some really great suggestions, Captain."

Janeway nodded, walking around her desk to stand in front of her, but Holly still avoided her gaze.

"I was telling her that, you know? I didn't want her to think we take her for granted."

"That is commendable, Lieutenant." Janeway agreed, waving her on.

"I think Ensign Collins must have been listening in." Holly finally looked at her Captain. "He started making derogatory remarks about her Borg nature, about how she was just a tool to be used and then stored in the cargo bay and I just." Holly's shoulders slumped. "I punched him."

Janeway rubbed her forehead, feeling an incoming headache. "Lieutenant-"

"I know it was wrong of me, Captain, but she just looked so hurt." The sadness in Holly's voice was crystal clear as she remembered the upset look in the blonde's eyes. "I don't think any of them sees it. They don't see…" Holly paused, looking heartbroken.

"What is it, Lieutenant?" Janeway put a hand on Holly's shoulder and, after a moment, she composed herself and gave a listless shrug.

"She's one of us, Captain." Holly bit her lip. "She didn't ask to be assimilated at Wolf 359 and she didn't ask to be disconnected from the Collective. And she's so human, Captain, she wants so much to fit in with us."

"I'm sorry, Lieutenant. I know the crew is having a hard time adjusting to our Borg members."

"It's been nearly two years, Captain." Holly protested with a frown. "Icheb is a kid, people don't seem to mind him too much, but I know Seven of Nine has been having issues as well."

Janeway nodded, letting out a tired sigh. "I'm aware of that, Holly, but all we can do is try to work with them, show them our Borg crewmembers are a part of our family."

"It would help if they had their own quarters," Holly suggested boldly. "Having to sleep in the cargo bay probably just enforces the crew's view of them as tools instead of people."

Janeway frowned in thought. "I'm sure you're aware we have a shortage of available quarters."

"I could share with Gail, I mean, Ensign Peck!"

The Captain's eyebrow twitched. "Generous of you, Lieutenant Stewart." Janeway deadpanned.

Holly had the grace to blush. "A-and Seven could have the VIP quarters. She _is_ a senior officer, right? So it would be only right. A uniform for her wouldn't go amiss too. Gail wears her biosuit under her uniform, so Seven could do the same. That might make her feel more like a part of the crew."

"I'll take that into consideration, Lieutenant," Janeway said, her mind already whirring with the possibilities. She'd have to ask B'Elanna about making those regeneration units more portable. Perhaps Stewart could help. "As for the matter of your altercation with Ensign Collins…"

Holly straightened, giving the Captain a serious look. "I'll take whatever punishment you see fit, Captain."

"Yes, you will." Janeway leveled a mild glare in her direction. It was slightly unnerving, but not nearly as bad as her infamous force 10 glare was rumored to be. It's said it could fell an Ensign at twenty paces. "Your holodeck privileges are revoked for a month, as well as your replicator rations. For the next week, you'll be confined to quarters. I'm sure you can use that time to help your new roommate settle in."

"Oh, thank you, Captain!" All in all, nothing worse than a slap on the wrist. Plus, it looked like Gail would be living with her from now on.

"This time I'll forego the formal reprimand on your record, but let me be very clear, Lieutenant," the intensity of Janeway's glare bumped up a notch. "This debacle better not happen again or I'm throwing you in the brig. You're the senior Engineering officer for the Beta shift, you should not be partaking in brawls with your subordinates."

Holly gulped, thoroughly intimidated. For such a small woman, the Captain could be positively terrifying. "Yes, ma'am!"

Janeway gave her a long look, as if to ascertain her compliance. "Very well. Dismissed, Lieutenant."

Holly nodded quickly, slapping a formal salute.

She had good news to deliver.

* * *

**Tumblr prompt**: Officer Lunchbox crossover with your favorite tv show (other than Rookie Blue, of course)


	11. Doctor Steady Hands

**Doctor Steady Hands**

"Wow. Just wow."

"…Sorry?"

"What kind of doctor are you? You're supposed to be good at this sort of stuff."

"I'm sorry, I must have missed that pumpkin carving class sometime during med school."

"Aren't doctors supposed to be all steady hands and good hand-eye coordination?"

"Um…"

"Maybe I should get you a scalpel. You could make a Y-incision in the pumpkin. That might freak people out."

"You think you're so funny."

"Of course I am."

"You're really not."

"I suppose it's a good thing you're a dead people doctor, not a surgeon."

"It doesn't look that bad!"

"It looks like Sloth. Which, now that I think about it, isn't too bad. He always gave me the creeps."

"Who?"

"…"

"What?"

"You've seriously never seen The Goonies?"

"Not really."

"Good thing you're so cute. This might be a deal-breaker otherwise. It's a classic!"

"I was never really into 80's nostalgia."

"Well, it had to happen sometime."

"What?"

"I finally found something wrong with you."

* * *

**Tumblr prompt**:Carving Jack-o-lanterns


	12. Oops, Marry Me?

**Oops, Marry Me?**

You hadn't meant to blurt it out just like that, you really hadn't.

You had just come home from the longest fucking shift ever, tired, cranky and smelling like weeks old garbage – and wasn't dumpster diving for evidence just a _pile_ of fun? – and, more than anything, you just wanted the stupid day to be over with.

And there she'd been, sweet, wonderful Holly, who'd taken one look at you and known exactly what you needed. She took you by the hand and led you to the bathroom, where she proceeded to strip you out of your filthy clothes and then draw you a bath.

Holly then helped you into the tub and stroked your hair until you were so relaxed you could actually fall asleep – your Achilles's heel, which Holly had stumbled upon one day and, since then, had never failed to abuse it when it suited her. You did actually fall asleep and, half an hour later, you woke up to an empty bathroom and a sticky note on the mirror telling you to come down when you were ready.

You smiled and put on your most comfortable pair of sweats, which Holly had thoughtfully laid out on your shared bed and then headed downstairs. What you found nearly brought you to tears, which you justified to yourself as exhaustion and the sheer perfection that was your girlfriend.

Holly, being the perfect human being that she was, had cooked you pancakes. Not just any pancakes, but chocolate chip ones. Your favorite comfort food ever.

She guided you to the couch and handed you a plate of steaming pancakes, then placed a glass of chilled milk on the coffee table. You took one look at the wonderful-smelling feast before you and at her beautiful smile and you just blurted it the fuck out.

"God, marry me." Immediately, you clench your eyes shut as if to ward yourself against the sheer stupidity that led you to ruin _weeks_ and _weeks_ of careful planning. "Can we pretend I didn't just say that?"

You open your eyes just in time to see a delighted if confused smile turn into a frown and _fuck_ if you weren't batting a thousand today.

"Oh my God, no, no, no. No!" You stammer and hurriedly put your plate on the coffee table. You know you need to fix it before you blow the whole thing to hell. Holly's deepening frown tells you you're digging yourself deeper in it, but you just can't seem to help yourself today. "I mean, yes, marry me, but not now!"

"Oh." Holly exhales and the smile she tries to put on for you is so fake you feel your heart squeeze in your chest and goddamn it, you need to fix this mess right the fuck now.

"God, I wanna punch myself in the face."

"It's not a big deal, Gail." Holly pats your hand reassuringly and you really want to punch yourself in the face. "We haven't really talked about this and-"

"No, just," you grab her hands in a desperate grip. "Just let me explain."

"There's nothing to exp-"

"Please," you squeeze out between clenched teeth. You've already stuck your foot in all the way, there's no way you can leave any room for misunderstandings now. You breath out in relief when she nods a little, wary and cautious. You look down, because you can't bear to see her reaction as you lay down your heart. "It wasn't supposed to be like this, Holly. There were supposed to be candles, and a romantic dinner and flowers, and- and bended knees and a speech to con you into thinking marrying me is actually a good idea. I had it all planned and it was going to be perfect and then today you were just being so wonderful and I fucking ruined it, so can we please just forget I'm stupid moron who can't keep her mouth shut and rewind today to about ten minutes ago? Please?"

Warm, soft hands cup the sides of your face and gently will you to look at her. The sight of her watery, smiling brown eyes is just about the most beautiful thing you've ever seen. "Okay," she whispers softly and there's nothing you want more than to kiss her. "Your pancakes are getting cold."

You tilt your head curiously, watching as she grabs your plate from the coffee table and hands it back to you before reaching for the remote. Of course she's going along with your request, that's just how she is. Your eyes burn a little and you almost blurt it out again, so you decide the safest bet is to keep your mouth busy with your pancakes. Plus, they are really delicious, so it's no difficult shore.

Fifteen minutes into some stupid movie you're paying no attention to, you can feel her watching you. It makes you squirm a little to be under that intent gaze and you wonder what's going through her head right now.

"Gail?"

You look up at her with a questioning look.

"That question I'm not supposed to know about yet?" Holly's smile could bring the most hardened of souls to their knees. "The answer's gonna be 'yes'."

Best. day. ever.

* * *

**Tumblr prompt**: Gail and Holly - "Can we pretend I didn't just say that?"


End file.
